For 30 years, Ben Eaton has practiced the ancient craft of blacksmithing. First, as an apprentice in Vail under master blacksmith Steve Zorichak, and later when he opened a shop in Gunnison with fellow blacksmith John Murphy. Today, Ben operates Get Bent Blacksmithing in his studio near Crested Butte South. The Gunnison Valley, as we know it, was built on the backs of miners and blacksmiths. Every mine employed at least one blacksmith to custom craft the tools needed for excavation, from picks and shovels to ore carts and pulleys. Today, using his custom-built forge, heated to 2500°F, Ben continues this legacy of crafting functional, utilitarian works like fireplace doors and structural elements, artwork, and sculpture. Many of the tools he uses were left behind in mines from early blacksmiths.
“I AM CONSTANTLY TRYING TO GET INTO A STATE OF FLOW,
WHERE I’M TOTALLY ENRAPTURED IN A PROJECT.
When time seems to fly, and when I’m at my most creative. I can make something original and unique without interruption. I meditate every day, deliberating the steps and stages of creating my art. If I just think it through beforehand, the ideas seem to flow. I let my instincts take over.”
“I don’t refer to myself as a ‘master blacksmith.’ Being a master blacksmith can only be bestowed on you by another master. You can work your whole life and never be a master, nor call yourself one.”
ORIGINS
“It’s hard for people to understand the difference between blacksmithing and welding. Even some of my best friends don’t know the difference. Blacksmithing uses traditional techniques to build a creation. Working with steel when it’s hot is similar to working with clay. I bring my material up to heat with a gas forge, making the steel softer. When it’s at this extreme temperature, it’s bendable and malleable. To me, the beauty of the work is in the texture of the material when it has been forged.”
“Architectural details have been my main focus, but I always incorporate my artistic design to the custom pieces. My fireplace doors have been very popular. I usually start in the early phase of a construction project by installing fireplace doors. Then sometimes I will move on to the hood vent and furniture, or whatever the homeowner needs. I’m happy if I’m able to make a statement with my work. I’ve never built the exact same thing twice. It’s always very custom to the situation.”
BACKSTORY
“I moved here in ‘97 and teamed up with John Murphy to start a business in Gunnison. Later we both opened our own studios in CB. My current studio is next door to the historic Glacier Schoolhouse built around 1900. The town of Glaciers, Colorado had a post office, bar, saloon, schoolhouse, and a couple barns. It was a spur off the railroad. They would pull a car off the track and load it with ore from the Italian Mountain mine. In 1920, the schoolhouse was moved a quarter mile north to its present location on Highway 135.”
“Back then, every mine needed at least one blacksmith. A lot of mines have old anvils inside them, to this day. They had to make everything — carts, tools, and more. I’ve seen remnants of blacksmithing way up at Schofield Pass. A few years ago, I acquired a big chain hoist and a set of large bellows that still have beautiful form. They were probably used in the mines.”
“I have always been fascinated by history. The techniques I use are essentially techniques that are obsolete. I think it’s important to keep the traditional techniques and knowledge of the craft alive. In a lot of ways, I’m trying to put a modern spin on an ancient craft using tools that I have acquired in the last 30 years. Most of the tools of our trade were made by smiths for a specific job.”
FORGE
“I use mild steel. Most people think we use iron, but nowadays it’s actually steel with a low carbon content. Also, my forge uses propane, but the original fuel was coal. I can have around five pieces working at a time using propane. When you bring steel up to temperature it’s called a heat, and I try to use as few heats as possible. When you reheat something it loses its structural integrity. So, you have to do as much as you can in a short amount of time.”
A NOD TO THE PAST
“When the Nordic Center was overhauled a few years ago, I was commissioned to create a sculpture for the outdoor area. This is the same space that was once ‘The Big Mine Tipple.’ I built ‘The Totem of Time’ which stands in recognition of the past and celebration of the future. It’s made of miners’ picks at the bottom evolving into Nordic skis in a conical helix. It is about 20 feet tall and doubles as a light.”
